“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”
Haile Selassie

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Indianapolis Star: It is About the (Lack of) Content, Not the Design of the Website

This past week, the Indianapolis Star unveiled a new looking website. Print stories were downgraded in favor of presenting fewer stories on the website's front page, but more pictures and even videos. Shortly thereafter Star Editor Jeff Taylor wrote an article explaining the changes:

interactive features and other exclusive content for Star
subscribers.

A cleaner design of the website displays photos or
video with almost every story. The photos are larger, too, and videos
are more prominent.

You'll find an improved search bar at the top of the home page to
help you find information faster, as well as right-side and left-side
arrows to help you click quickly to other sections or articles.

Share
tools are easy to find. Our social media buttons "stick" with you as
you scroll through an article and make it easier to share favorite
stories.

And now you won't have to leave an article to post or
read comments. You'll be able to click the comment icon next to the
social media icons and immediately share your thoughts via Facebook.

Other
new features include a "right-now" rail on each section front. The rail
displays the latest content in that section — from stories and blogs to
photos, videos and more.

We've redesigned and improved the
weather page, too, with extended forecasts, severe weather alerts and
interactive maps. And we've added quick links to help you dive into your
favorite content.

In addition to these changes, we've launched a
new IndyStar iPad app. And we're pleased to say that we are about to
update our iPhone app. We've been aware of the frustration customers
have had with the current version and apologize for that. We're eager to
make the new version available and expect it to be ready for download
later this month. Those apps go along with our new Android and mobile
experiences.

...

The "improvement" to the website suggests that Taylor and Publisher, Karen Crotchfelt, believe the Star's decline in readership is due to the Star's failing to keep up with technology. However, if Taylor and Crotchfelt walked outside their door and asked potential and former readers of the Star why they do not subscribe, the answer 90% of the time would be poor or a lack of content, especially when it comes to local issues. Indeed, when Crotchfelt took over the paper she announced that it was the Star's role to be a cheerleader for local government. She's has lived up to that promise Star reporters rarely pen anything critical of local government. Occasionally the Star does an excellent lengthy expose of wrongdoing in government, but the focus of such pieces is always on state government. The Star has left reporting on wrongdoing by local politicians has been left to enterprising TV reporters to cover.

It is clear that Taylor and Crotchfelt do not understand people's frustration with the Star's lack of content. While a bone was recently thrown to readers with the promise of an expanded newspaper, in fact the local news section has been eliminated entirely by being folded (some would say "buried") in the front section which historically has dealt with more national issues. The Star has added some USA Today content in the form of expanded national news, but I'm not aware of anyone ever complaining that the Star needed more national news.

The Star's problems are almost due completely to a lack of content, particularly coverage of local news. Taylor and Crotchfelt clearly do not understand that. If anything, the Star's newly redesigned website makes it harder to find the content that people want and, thus, will make people even less likely to visit the Indystar.com website.

5 comments:

No matter how you slice it Paul, newspapers are dying! My kids could care less about the local news and if they did they will watch it before they will read it. Visual is ruling the day! The problem with the Star's web site is that no young person will pay for the content. I have very little time left in my life to read a newspaper from cover to cover. I like the extra USA content it looks good but I can get it for free online.

I agree there is a critical lack of mass, especially in the Coverage of Marion County Issues. The Star has some good articles from time to time but the follow-up is weak to nonexistent. Example a few years ago they had some articles on the Nursing Home Industry but no follow-up. I suspect the same will happen to the Day Care series they just ran.

The Corporate Welfare and Crony-Capitalism rampant in Marion County is ignored altogether.

If The Star wants to see a real News Website they should view the Guardian Website. The Stars new Website is still laden with Sports links all over.

Sports sells! As the young lady that used to run our sports ministry said, "To many people's new religion is Sports." I agree with her assessment, I try to tell my kids that to have balance in life. It is so much more fulfilling!

The Star has lacked content since shortly before it was packaged to be sold to Gannett. It has been a "can miss" newspaper ever since. employees [hardly journalists] such as Tully are both evidence [and crime]. cheers.

About Me

I have been an attorney since the Fall of 1987. I have worked in every branch of government, including a stint as a Deputy Attorney General, a clerk for a judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals, and I have worked three sessions at the Indiana State Senate.
During my time as a lawyer, I have worked not only in various government positions, but also in private practice as a trial attorney handing an assortment of mostly civil cases.
I have also been politically active and run this blog in an effort to add my voice to those calling for reform.